Commercial and non-commercial vehicles now have tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) which include a central module, integrated or in communication with an electronic control unit of the vehicle, and tire pressure monitoring sensors (TPM sensors) for each vehicle wheel unit. In general, the TPM sensors monitor tire pressure within a respective tire and transmit a wireless signal to the central module which at a minimum includes tire pressure data. Should the sensed pressure be outside of an acceptable range or a substantial change in tire pressure occur, an alarm is generated and transmitted to the user of the vehicle.
Over time, TPM sensors require replacement by service technicians due to damage, depleted battery or otherwise. This requires installation and integration of new TPM sensors with a TPMS of a vehicle. During this process, in one configuration, the technician places the TPMS receiver of the vehicle in a learning mode and triggers each TPM sensor for identification purposes. The technician then sequentially triggers each TPM sensor utilizing a TPMS configuration tool, causing each sensor, new or existing, to transmit a wireless signal including an identifier to a control module of the TPMS. These tools communicate with a sensor through low frequency signals which in turn communicate with the TPMS through a higher frequency radio signal. The control module records the identifier, which may comprise numbers, letters, a combination of numbers and letters or any other identifying identifier, of each signal so as to interpret the location of TPM sensor data during operation thereof.
In a learning process of a typical TPMS, a technician places the TPMS receiver of the vehicle in learning mode by performing one or more steps, such as cycling an ignition key, pressing remote buttons, depressing a brake pedal, utilizing door lock switches, utilizing headlight switches, combinations thereof, or otherwise. As should be appreciated, this can be a laborious task. Once the learning processes is initiated, the TPMS tool indicates which tire pressure monitoring sensor installed on the vehicle should be triggered. The service technician moves to the specified wheel unit and utilizes the TPMS configuration tool to cause a corresponding TPM sensor to transmit a signal including an identification identifier. Once the signal is received by the control module, the control module confirms the learning of the TPM sensor by either an audible signal or visual signal. The TPMS tool also receives the sensor data and indicates which TPM sensor is to be triggered next. This continues until all of the TPM sensors have been sequentially triggered, which requires the technician to walk to each wheel unit and place the tool next to a corresponding TPM sensor so as to trigger the sensor.
By design, the TPMS provides a limited amount of time for triggering each sensor. Unfortunately, should the signal not be received within the allotted time, the technician must start the learning process over. This occurs when the sensor fails to receive and process the triggering signal in the allotted time, the control module fails to receive and process the triggering signal in the allotted time, or the technician is interrupted or otherwise not able to move between the wheel units in the allocated time as indicated by the control module.